JVP crisis simmers

Sept 23 (DM) The JVP infighting took another turn yesterday with the faction loyal to its leader Somawansa Amarasinghe attempting to stop the printing of the weekly edition of the party's Lanka newspaper. The attempt was made apparently because most of the editorial staffers had sided with the dissident group trying to take control of the party at the politburo and central committee levels. JVP propaganda secretary Vijitha Herath, a loyalist of the present leadership,
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ITF wants Sri Lanka to ratify ILO 2006 Maritime Labour Convention

Sept 23 (Island) The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) wants the Sri Lankan Govt to ratify the ILO 2006 Maritime Labour Convention. The Island learns that ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention will be discussed at length at the ongoing International Transport Workers Federation Asia/Pacific Regional Committee Meeting, which commenced yesterday in Colombo. ITF General Secretary David Cockroft said that Singapore had done it and
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Rebels storm JVP head office

Sept 23 (Island) A group of irate JVP front-liners yesterday stormed their party office demanding that the incumbent leader Somawansa Amarasinghe and General Secretary Tilvin Silva step down immediately. They were seen engaged in a heated argument gesticulating wildly while some of the dissidents stayed outside. The JVP’s security division denied the media entry into the building where Somawansa loyalists and the dissidents were shouting at the top of their voices.
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Digging our own grave

Sept 23 (ST) The highlands of Lanka have clear evidence of an ancient protohistorical social order. There is evidence of agriculture at Horton Plains dating back to 17,000 years BP (Before Present). Further down the slopes, clay canoe burial sites hold the cremated remains of people. These have been excavated and carbon dated back to over 1500 BC by Prof. Raj Somadeva of the Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology (PGIAr). Last year, I had visited excavation sites at Ranchamadama near Embilipitiya and
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Sept 23 (DM) Lawyers representing the United National Party were contemplating legal action against a candidate who was contesting for the Kandy Municipal Council, who they alleged had been convicted in the Kandy High Court for attempted murder and was still paying compensation to the victim in this case. High Court Judge Ms. W.C. Pushpamali had sentenced the accused to two years rigorous imprisonment, suspended for ten years.
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Sept 23 (ICP) While Sri Lanka's government claims that the Panel of Experts report describing war crimes is "not a UN report," that is precisely what Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd called it Thursday night at the UN when Inner City Press asked him about the report. Rudd had been scheduled to speak at 6 pm about the Commonwealth. Notably, there is a move to oust Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth in light of war crimes.
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Sri Lanka's women deminers clean up legacy of Asia's longest war

Sept 23 (Reuters) Wearing a visor and a protective vest over grey fatigues tucked into black military boots, former housewife S. Dishanty crawls on her hands and knees through dense bush, slowly inching forward and methodically scanning the ground. A year ago, this 23-year-old Sri Lankan woman was looking after her elderly parents and young son in their war-devastated village. Nowadays, she searches for an instrument of that destruction: landmines.
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Sri Lanka is ready to offer more troops for UN missions

Sept 23 (Island) Sri Lanka is ready to deploy additional troops under UN command depending on the ground requirement. Army headquarters told The Island that specially trained troops were available for deployment at short notice should the UNrequire them. SLA Chief Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya, during recent visits to New York and Haiti, explored the possibility of having more slots for SL troops. Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya undertook the tour in the wake of
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SL President condoles former Afghanistan President's Assassination

Sept 23 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa sent a condolence message to Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on the assassination of former President of Afghanistan and Chairman of the High Peace Council, Professor Burhanudin Rabbani,yesterday. The full text of the message: "H.E. Hamid Karzai; President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: I was deeply grieved to hear the news of the assassination of former President of Afghanistan and
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India-Sri Lanka naval exercises ends

Sept 23 (Hindu) The Indian Navy gained from the Sri Lankan experience with low intensity conflict while the Sri Lankan Navy learnt to operate more effectively in a multi-force environment at the conclusion of the biggest ever exercise between the Navies of the two countries. The exercises, which involved 6 Indian state-of-the-art vessels of the Eastern Command, and over 1200 Indian naval personal, and 11 Sri Lankan vessels and
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Govt. presents 67 supplementary estimates

Sept 23 (Island) The Government yesterday presented 67 supplementary estimates, running into millions of rupees, for Parliamentary approval, including one of Rs 1.1 billion to meet the expenditure related to the printing of vehicle number plates from May to December 2011. This supplementary estimate was provided to the Department of Motor Traffic, according to papers submitted to Parliament. The supplementary estimates had been allocated between
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COPE says huge losses at state institutions

Sept 23 (DM) The parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has revealed that the government has lost a staggering Rs.10 billion due to the mismanagement, inefficiency and corruption at 24 state institutions from 2010 up to now. This is in addition to the annual losses incurred by some of these institutions. COPE has identified the budget airline ‘Mihin Lanka’ as an institution running at a significant loss right from its inception.
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Geoff Marsh appointed Sri Lanka coach

Sept 23 (CI) Geoff Marsh, the former Australia batsman and coach, has been appointed coach of the Sri Lankan team, filling the vacancy created by Trevor Bayliss' departure after the 2011 World Cup. Marsh's 2-year term begins on Sept 27 and he will not continue coaching the Pune Warriors IPL franchise. "I told Pune Warriors and they were very good about it. Coaching an international team takes a lot of time and being able to fit both of them in just wouldn't have happened,"
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The left-hand advantage in Sri Lanka

Sept 24 (CI) In the recently concluded three-Test series in Sri Lanka, Michael Hussey was easily Australia's leading man: he scored almost twice as many runs as Australia's next-best player, Shaun Marsh, who was terrific too, averaging 80. In the process, Hussey became only the second overseas batsman to score 400-plus runs in a series in Sri Lanka. The first player to do so was Brian Lara in that unforgettable series in 2001, when he scored 688 in six innings.
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Concessions to public servants due to Coastal Railway line renovations

Sept 24 (GDI) All govt servants travelling from Matara to Colombo on the Coastal Railway line will be permitted to report to work 15 minutes late and clock out 15 minutes early. This decision was made by the govt considering the numerous difficulties faced by them due to the closure of the railway track between Galle and Induruwa for renovations. Public Administration Ministry says that this concession will be granted only to those govt servants holding season tickets to
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Customs seize 756 mobile phones

Sept 24 (DM) The airport custom officers arrested a Sri Lankan who tried to enter the country with 759 mobile phones worth Rs.5.8 million from UAE last morning. The seized phone stock included Nokia, Sony Ericsson and number of Chinese brands. It also included iPods. It contained two bags. The suspect aged around 35 is a resident of Negombo. Earlier refused to show the bags when the custom officer wanted to search it as he was behaving suspiciously.
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Sri Lanka tribal recipes to entice tourists

Sept 24 (LBO) A well-known Sri Lankan chef is to offer food made according to exotic recipes of the island's indigenous 'veddah' community to entice tourists during forthcoming celebrations to mark World Tourism Day. Publis De Silva, the Mount Lavinia Hotel's director of culinary affairs and long-serving chef, said the tribal community had many uncommon recipes which he had studied. "I will prepare and offer food made from 20 Veddah recipes during the World Tourism Day
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Sri Lanka organizes a Habitat Week

Sept 24 (GDI) A Habitat Week has been announced to celebrate the World Habitat Day falling on Oct 3rd. The Habitat Week will be held from Sept 26th to Oct 3rd. The goal of World Habitat Day is to call attention to the need for adequate housing for everyone. Rs. 15.3 Million had been provided to 102 families as housing loans in the Kolonnawa Divisional Secretariat Division with the participation of Minister Wimal Weerawansa. This financial assistance was provided under the “Jana Sevana”
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‘Milinda cannot promise right to information’

Sept 24 (SM) UPFA mayoral candidate for Colombo Milinda Moragoda cannot promise to legalize the people’s right to information, Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said today (23). Expressing surprise over the inclusion of such a promise in the candidate’s policy statement, Mr. Wickremesinghe said a municipal council had no powers to implement new laws. Speaking to Colombo district’s UNP lawyers, he said only parliament can adopt such a law.
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No delays of child abuse cases

Sept 24 (DM) Cases relating to child abuse are to receive priority among court cases and a new project by the Justice Ministry aims at expediting such cases and dispensing them within one year of the date of complaint. Justice Ministry Secretary Suhada Gamlath said the judiciary is more worried about the laws being delayed and about the long legal process relating to child abuse cases in particular. “The damage caused to child victims is much serious when the delivery of judgments
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Sri Lanka stocks end down 0.4-pct

Sept 24 (LBO) Stocks slumped again Friday closing lower for the fourth straight day with turnover also falling amid continued trade in stocks that have drawn speculators, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index fell 0.41 percent to 6,734.60, while the more liquid Milanka index fell 1.37 percent to close at 6,023.9. Turnover was 1.1 billion rupees. Refrigerator manufacturer Regnis (Lanka), whose price was pumped up by speculators Thursday, was the most actively traded stock,
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‘Lanka’ managing director arrested

Sept 24 (SM) Mirihana Police have arrested the managing director of ‘Lanka’ newspaper, published by the JVP affiliated Lanka Fast Publishers Pvt. Ltd. The MD, Venura Herath, and another employee of the newspaper, identified as Janaka Mahendra, were apprehended today (23). Their arrests follows a complaint by the company’s director Lal Tennakoon to police that documents and a car belonging to the newspaper had been taken away by force by some persons.
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Sri Lanka Galle literary festival to bring Rs 400 mn: official

Sept 24 (LBR) Sri Lanka’s annual gathering for the English literary fraternity, the Galle literary festival, will encourage tourists to visit the island’s southern coast and provide a substantial boost to the local economy, an official associated with the event said. “We estimate that in the five days that the festival happens that approximately Rs 400 mn is brought in to the economy,” said Geoffrey Dobbs, founder of the Galle Literary Festival.
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New vehicle registrations dip in July

Sept 24 (LBO) Registrations of new vehicles in Sri Lanka dropped in July 2011 to 43,725 from a high of 48,157 a month earlier, while 12-month growth slowed to 30.8 percent from a 55.8 percent in June, official data showed. In July, new car registrations fell to 4,338 from 5,069 a month earlier. Three wheeler taxi registrations fell to 12,799 from 13,753; motor cycle registrations fell to 20,828 from 22,690 a month earlier. Dual purpose vehicle registrations were down 944 from 921 a month earlier.
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Sri Lanka enacts tougher terrorist financing, money laundering laws

Sept 24 (LBO) Sri Lanka's parliament has passed changes to laws against money laundering and terrorist financing, broadening their scope and enabling police to freeze funds. The amendments make the island's anti-money laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) laws "fully compliant with the international standards," a statement from the central bank's financial intelligence unit said. The laws are based on recommendations by
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GMOA to decide next step on Sunday

Sept 24 (DM) The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) Central Working Committee will meet on Sunday (25) to decide what action should be taken against the controversial private medical faculty in Malabe stating that the institution will not have a future in the country, the GMOA said today. The GMOA Central Working Committee membership comprises 180 practising doctors who will decided on what their next step would be.
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Remanded for raping minor

Sept 24 (DM) A Foreign employment sub agent who allegedly raped under aged girls after bringing them to Colombo promising Middle East jobs was remanded until Oct 7 by the Colombo Chief Magistrate. The suspect Mohamed Hussain Mohamed Suhoor was arrested by the CID following a complaint made by a woman who was allegedly raped by the suspect promising a foreign job. The woman from Trincomalee had complained to the CID recently that when she was under the age of 18 whilst working in a garment factory
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Sri Lanka News Debrief - 23.09.2011

Sri Lanka must seek balance between East and West: economist

Sept 24 (LBO) Sri Lanka must improve trade ties with emerging Asian growth centres but not write-off the United States and Europe just because they are in a weak phase, an economist said. The island must also take a long-term strategic view in its foreign policy and not allow "antagonisms stemming from the (ethnic) war" to affect economic ties, said Anushka Wijesinha, an economist at the Institute of Policy Studies, a think-tank. The country must also find ways of
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SLMC demands and Islamisation in Sri Lanka

Sept 24 (AN) “The ruling regime can solve the problems that afflict Muslims in north-eastern Sri Lanka, but is doing nothing,” said A. R. M. Itmtiyaz, associated professor in the Department of Political Science in Temple University, Philadelphia, United States, as he spoke about protests by the SLMC, the country’s largest Muslim party, against the exclusion of the Muslim community from interethnic talks. Last week, SLMC President Basheer Segu Dawood even called on
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Number of liquor licenses on the rise

Sept 24 (DM) Despite anti-alcohol campaigning by the state, the number of liquor licenses issued by the govt has increased. A total of 51 liquor licenses were issued last year as opposed to 36 in 2009, Parliament was informed today. The govt gave these details to the House in response to a question by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake. All liquor licenses had been issued to hotels approved by Sri Lanka Tourist Board. Six licenses had been issued in Colombo,
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Geoff Marsh geared to help Sri Lanka rebuild

Sept 24 (CI) Geoff Marsh has said he is looking forward to the challenge of helping rebuild Sri Lanka's side after the loss of several veterans over the past two years. Marsh, who has been named Sri Lanka's new coach, said he found it "quite exciting" to see the young talent on display during the recent Test series against Australia, when he was in the country watching his son Shaun play for Australia. During that series, Sri Lanka's highest run scorer was the
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Sri Lanka monk remanded for rape

Sept 24 (BBC) A Sri Lankan Buddhist monk has been remanded in custody by a London court on charges of sexual abuse. Pahalagama Somaratana Nayaka Thera has appeared before Feltham Magistrates' Court but did not enter a plea on Friday, court officials said. The court has ordered the Thera to be remanded in custody and to appear before Isleworth Crown Court on 26 September. He has been charged with raping an underage girl in the 1970s, the Metropolitan police said.
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New Topographical Maps of Jaffna District presented to Basil

Sept 24 (GDI) The 1st batch of the newly developed topographical maps for the Jaffna District were ceremonially presented by S.M.W. Fernando, Surveyor General of Survey Dept and Kunio Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan to Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development and Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, Minister of Land and Land Development on Thursday at the Parliament with the presence of Akira Shimura, Chief Representative of JICA Sri Lanka Office.
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Kattadiya dancing in prison

Sept 24 (DM) A ‘Kattadiya’ of a Devale called Gunananda who seduced a 32 year old married woman was sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment and suspended for eight years with a fine of Rs.30,000, when he pleaded guilty to the charge before Kandy High Court Judge Manilal Waidyatillke. State Counsel Charika Dharamsiri told court, how a woman who had health problems, had gone to the Devale of the accused at Vardiwela, after all other attempts had failed to secure relief.
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Muzammil pledges Premadasa-style housing program

Sept 24 (DM) Stating that 50 percent of the houses in the Colombo city are not up to accepted standards, UNP Mayoral Candidate for Colombo A.J.M. Muzammil has pledged to launch a major housing program for the low income group within the city. He made this point at a meeting today. Mr. Muzammil said it would be something similar to the housing program that was introduced by late President Ranasinghe Premadasa in the 1980s under the theme, ‘A House for every one by the year 2020.’
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Sept 24 (UN) Terrorism remains the greatest threat to stability and progress worldwide, Sri Lanka’s President told the General Assembly today, calling on countries to agree on taking a consistent and uncompromising approach in a bid to stamp out the menace. Mahinda Rajapaksa, speaking on the third day of the Assembly’s general debate, said his country’s own experience of terrorism in the past 25 years demonstrated the need for firm resolve on the issue.
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US cables show how international silence enabled Sri Lanka’s genocide

Sept 24 (LG) In March 2009 Sri Lanka had come to the attention of the UN’s Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide, Francis Deng, but despite his disquiet he did not take further steps as Sri Lanka had assured him the United States and India supported its military campaign, according to a leaked US cable. The account of the meeting on March 16, 2009 between Mr. Deng and the US Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, as well as other US cables, shows how
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Two Lankan Tamils - Two Perspectives ( 2)

Sept 24 (LG) I am obliged to my friend Dr. Rajasingham Narendran for his dignified and early response in this debate. No one has a total monopoly in pronouncing what is best for the Tamil people in the Island . The catholicity of views in the subject made available so far in the public domain is surely a healthy feature – and we need more. I chose the above title as opposed to RN’s because we are discussing the subject without reference to the central players in the struggle – the powerful Buddhist clergy,
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CMC restores sight of elderly city dwellers

Sept 24 (SO) For many people, losing eye sight is almost the end of their life as they no longer can survive in the normal society as abled men and women. Out of them many people are lucky enough to regain their lost eye sight spending lavishly for eye surgeries. But this is not the case for the people who are living in low income settlements in the Colombo city, though they live having all the facilities within their eye sight. For the elderly people who are living with
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